Brake torque-frame.



W. MAQGLASHAN.

BRAKE TORQUE FRAME.

APPLICATION rum) FEB. 26, 1913.

Patentad July 7?, 19M.

2 SHEET$SHEET 1.

W. MAGGLASHAN.

. BRAKE TORQUE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1913.

Patented July 7, 1914.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MAOGLASHAN, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKERCORPORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BRAKE TORQUE-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 3, 1914-.

Application filed February 26, 1913. Serial No. 750,712.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MAoGLA- SHAN, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at South Bend, St. Joseph 6 county, State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BrakeTorque-Frames, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates-t motor vehicles and particularly to means formounting and supporting the brake and resisting an (115- tributing thetorque which results when the brake is applied.

The motor vehicle brakes in use commonly consist of a member whichrotates with the wheels and is ordinarily secured either to the rearaxle or to one of the rear wheels, and means for applying friction tosuch rotating member. Commonly the ro- 20 tating members are in the formof drums, one being secured to each rear wheel, and friction 'is appliedthereto by means of a combination of parts supported on the rearhousing. Thus the torque of the brake, i. 6., the reaction of the forcewhich is exerted in stopping the machine-is applied to the rear axlehousing with a resulting tendency to turn the housing relatively to theframe. It is customary to connect the housing to the frame by means ofsprings and otherwise by means of comparatively slender thrust andtension rods which are not adapted to withstand a transverse stress.These members must receive and resist the tendency to turn the housing,and with the torque of the brake thus distributed, there is aconsiderable tendency to distort the springs and otherwise change therelation of the parts so that increased wear and sudden failure result.

The object of this invention is to overcome the difficulties thusrecited, and to this end means is provided for supporting the brakeindependently of the rear axle '45 housin and springs whereby the torqueofthe bra e is taken up by a rigid member and transmitted by it directlyto the frame of the vehicle. The brake is supported and the torque is sotaken up by a rigid member which receives the torque as a transversestress, and this member is supported on'two bear-in s which are eitherpivotal or universal, one sing on the housing and the other on theframe. More particularly described, the means for supporting the brakeconsists of a member which is mounted to swing relatively to the rearaxle housing, being preferably formed to receive and fit a cylindricalportion of the housing near each end of the housing which acts as atrunnion. The member thus described forms a rigid integral torque framewhich extends forward and upward, being connected at its forward end tothe vehicle frame by a suitable joint which permits the torque frame toswing as the springs give and the relation of the housing to the bodychanges. Preferably this connection is in the form of a universal joint.The torque of the brake imparts to the torque frame a tendency to rotateabout the housing, and with the frame placed as described and viewedfrom the right of the machine, the tendency is to righthanded rotation.The result of this tendency of the torque frame to rotate is a forcewhich is directed downward and applied to the vehicle frame at a poiitbeneath the center of gravity of the As the whole vehicle is constructedwith a View to sustainin' a load or resisting a force whichtheoretically at least is applied at this point, it is apparent that thetorque of the brake is thus most efi'iciently resisted. Thus the mostexcessive stresses which can result from the application. of the brakeare taken up and distributed to the parts in the form of forces whichthose parts are intended to resist, and therefore there is no resultingdistortion of the parts or injury to the vehicle.

The frame disclosed herein is discussed in my co-pending applicationSerial No.

746,329, entitled motor and transmission support, filed February 5th,1913. However, while in that instance it is described as a torque andthrust frame, its most important auction in the present case inconnection with the brake is that of a torque frame, and its form andconstruction mayv be widely varied within the scope of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the device of myinvention together with so much of a motor-vehicle and brake as isnecessary to a clear understandingrof the device.

igure 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing a portion of tie frame of thevehicle, the rear wheel, the brake, drum and the torque frame. Fig.2 isa view in side elevation showing a fragment of a torque arm, thecorresponding brake disk with the brake drum removed, the external brakestrap and the internal segments and band. Fig. 3 is a rear view in thenature of a perspective showing the rear axle housing, the rear wheelsand the torque frame with certain portions of the brakes mounted thereonand the motor and transmission casing.

Referring to the drawings by numerals,

each of which is applied to the same or equivalent parts in thediflerent figures of the drawing, the torque frame 1 which carries thebrakes and receives and distributes the torque put upon the brakes inovercoming the momentum of the vehicle, consists of two rigid members 2and 3 which are adapted to resist a considerable transverse stress and,as shown, are in the form of channel bars. These are so placed that withthe rear axle housin 6 they form a triangle of which the latter 1s thebase. The rigid members 2 and 3 bein pivotally mounted at their rearends on t e housing,' one adjacent each wheel, extend forward, convergetoward their forward ends where they are rigidly vconnected to eachother and pivotally or universally connected to the frame as hereinafterdescribed. At its rear end each of the arms 2 and 3 of the torque frame1 is provided with a member 4 rigidly secured to the torque frame andhaving a central circular aperture 5 which incloses a correspondingcircular portion or trunnion 6' of the housing 6. This forms the pivotalengagement of the torque frame with the housing. To receive and hold themembers 2 and 3 of the torque frame, the member or bracket 4 is providedwith a suitable seat 7 to which the bars are bolted or otherwise securedas shown, and to support the various brake members it is provided withradial arms 8 and 9 between and connecting which is a circular web orplate 10 concentric with the housing and shaft and with the opening 5.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the machine is provided with two brakes, onein the form of a band brake usually operated by means of a convenientfoot-lever and another ordinarily termed an emergency brake of theinternal expansion type controlled by a handlever. 11 of a lengthsomewhat less than that of the circumference of the disk 12 which issecured to the rear wheels 13. This band encircles the disk and each endis connected to one of two pins 14 carried by levers 15 and 16 pivotallyconnected to each other at 17 Of these the lever 16 has an upright arm18 at right angles to the arm 16 connected to the tension rod 19 whichleads forward to the actuating lever. The lever 15, as shown, is bent atan angle, and the two levers 15 and 16have a tonglike motion when actu-The band brake consists of a band It will thus be apparent that with theconstruction described when tension is applied to the rod 19, the levers15 and 16 guided by the slotted arms 20 on the pin 22 will be closedafter the manner of tongs, causing the pins 14 to approach each otherand drawing the band 11 tight against the surfaceof the drum. Theinternal expansion brake consists of two segments 27 pivotally connectedand supported on the bracket 4 at 28. These segments are forced apartand into contact with the inner face of the drum by means of togglelevers 29 and 30 con- I nected one to the lower end of each segment at31 and pivotally connected to each other at 32. The toggle member 29 isprolonged upward beyond the pivot 32 and is connected at 33 to an arm'34 which is mounted in the bracket 4 to oscillate relatively thereto.This lever 34 is provided with a second arm 35 secured to the pivot oflever 34 and extending upward, and at its upper end thisarm 35 isconnected to a tension rod 36 which leads forward. The tension rods ofboth brakes are connected at their forward ends by transverse bars 40and 41, and these bars are suitably connected to the operating levers.The brake is supported on and the torque of the brake is taken up by thetorque frame 1, and the torque thus applied to this frame is transmittedto the frame of the vehicle near the center of gravity'of the load andat a point where the frame is suitably braced to take up the stresses.

In the form of the device illustrated, the torque frame 1 supports themotor 42 with its casing and the transmission with its casing, and takesup the driving thrust and rear axle torque, and applies the resultant ofthese forces to the vehicle at the ball and socket joint, but it iswithin the scope of the present invention to eliminate these additionalfunctions and use the torque frame as a support for and a means fortaking up and distributing the torque of the brake and the brake only.

It will thus be apparent that the torque frame 1, considered as relatedto the brake and the brake only, is in effect a radial arm pivotallymounted on the rear housing and connected to the frame at its end totransunit the tendency to rotation, which is applied to it directly, tothe frame in the form of a tangential thrust, 2'. 6., a thrust at rightangles to the length of the arm. In the present instance in applying thebrake, the reaction of the brake torque as transmitted to this rotatingarm, imparts to it a tendency to right handed rotation as seen from theright of the vehicle. The resulting force at the forward end of thetorque frame takes a downward direction, so that the stress applied tothe frame is in the form of a downwardly directed force near the centerof gravity of the load, and it is clearly apparent that all vehicleframes which are properly constructed must, first of all, be designedfor the purpose of resistin such a force. Thus the stresses resultingrom the application of the brakes are first applied to the torque frame1 and are so distributed by it that the springs and correlated parts areentirely relieved of the twisting tendency which is the result ofthe'brake torque when the brakes are mounted on the housing, and. thestresses thus taken up by the torque frame are so distributed andtransformed that they are applied to the frame at a point where it isadapted to offer the greatest resistance and in form of a force soirected that it may be resisted to'the best advantage. 2

I have thus described a device embodying my invention specifically andin detail in order that its nature and operation may be clearlyunderstood; however, the terms herein are used in their descriptiverather than in their specific orlimitin sense and the scope of theinvention is de ed in the claims.

I claim w 1. Ina road vehicle, an axle, a triangular torque frameconnected .to the axle and to the vehicle frame, a universal jointforming the latter connection, a brake carried by the torque frame andmeans for actuating the brake.

2. In a road vehicle, arear axle, a triangularrigidtorque memberpivotally connected to the axle and tothevehicle frame at a single pointnear-the center of avity of the vehicle, a brake carried by t e torquemember, a brake drum on one wheel, and means for actuating the brake toapply friction to the drum.

3. In a road vehicle,.a torque frame piv otally connected to the rearaxle and having a pivotal connection with the vehicle frame at a singlepoint near the center of gravity of the vehicle, a brake member carriedby the torque'frame, a cooperating rotary brake member, and means fora'ctuatingthe brake.

4. In a road vehicle, a rear axle housing, wheels, a rigid torque memberpivotally connected to the housing and to thev vehicle frame, the latterconnection helm at a single point near the lateral center of t evehicle, a brake member carried by one wheel, a cooperating brake'member carried by the torque frame and means for actuating the brake.

5. In a road vehicle, a rear axle housing, a rigid torque frametrunnioned on the housing and having a ball and socket connection withthe vehicle'frame near the center ofthe vehicle, a brake member'carriedits rear end to the rear axle,-both members converging in a forwarddirection and connected to the frame near its center of gravity by' auniversal joint, a brake member mounted on t'ne torque frame and acoopcrating brake member connected to the rear wheels to rotatetherewith, and means for. actuating the brake.

8. Ina road vehicle, a rear axle housing, a triangular torque framepivotally connected to the housin andmeans for supporting the housing ont e torque frame to prevent rotation thereof, a ball and socket jointconnecting the forward vertex of the torque frame to the center of thevehicle frame,

wheels,brake drums carried by the wheels, a

brake supporting bracket carried by the torque frame, brake meansthereon to engage the drum and suitable connections for operating thebrake. I v Signed at South Bend, Indianathis 20th day of February 1913.

' WILLIAM MaoGLASHAN.

- Witnesses:

' DAVID It. VAUGHN, Jn,

Arman Cownno,

